Electric teaction motor



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J. I1?.;PLAOE.. ELECTRIC TRAGTION MOTOR.

Patented Apr. 28, 1896.

jfzveiz ANDREW [LGRMAM PNOTOUMD WASHINGTDLDC.

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JmPLAoB.` lELECTRIC TRAGTION MOTOR.

No. 559,342. Patented Apr. 28, 1896.

AN DREW'GRANAM.PHUO-LITNQWASHINGTUN, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

JAMES F. PLACE, OF MOTOLAIR, NEV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLESS. UPTON, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,342, dated April28, 1896. Application iilecl March 16, 1894. Serial No. 503,888. (Nomodel.)

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, J AMES FRANK PLACE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Traction-Motors, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to that class of selfpropelled electrictraction-motors wherein the motor is mounted on an aerial track and haswheels which clamp the track in amanner to provide the necessarytraction for towing a boat along a waterway. In this class of devicesthe electric energy is ordinarily supplied from a conductor arrangedalong and parallel with the track, and the return-current is carried bya conductor to the boat and thence to the Water, a circuit-closer on theboat serving to stop and start the motor.

The object of the present invention is, in part, to provide forreversing the motor from the boat, as well as to stop and start it;` inpart to provide for cutting the motor entirely out of the circuitwhenever it is stopped from the boat; in part to provide forautomatically cutting the motor out from the circuit whenever the cableconnecting the motor and boat is nncoupled; in part to provide a noveland efficient coupling for the conductor-cable in part to provide theboat with a switch whereby the motor may be cut out and controlled, andin part to other details of the invention, which will be hereinafter setforth.

In the accompanying drawings, whichillustrate an embodiment of theinvention, Figure 1 is a side view of the self-propelling motor,

`together with a part of the track-rail and main conductor. Fig. 1fl isa side view of the switch on the boat or` vehicle, showing also theattachment for the tow-line. Fig. 1h is a side View of the couplingdevices of the towli-ne and of an electric cable leading to the switch.Fig. 2 is a front-or end view of the motor as seen from the left inFig. 1. The track-rail and main conductor are represented incross-section. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement ofthe circuits and the switch on the boat. Fig. 3 illustrates the switchon the boat on a larger scale. One view is a face view and the other anedge view to illustrate the contacts. Fig. 4L is a diametrical sectionof one form of the electriccable coupling, and Fig. 5 is a section ofsaid coupling at rightangles to that of Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7 arerespectively a side view and plan illustrating aform of the supportingstructure for the track-rail and main con.- ductor adapted for roads orwaterways where it is not convenient or desirable to extend thestructure over said road or waterway. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary Jface viewshowing ihe manner of securing the sections of the trackrail to thesupporting-bracket. Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively a sectional and sideview of the bearings for one ofthe lower trackwheels. Figs. 11 and 12are respectively a side view and plan of a bail for attaching thetow-line to the motor. Fig. 13 is a sectional view of the preferred formof the electriccable coupling seen in Figs. 1i and 5. i

Referring primarily to Figs. 1 and 2, `1 rel resents a frame adapted tospan a roadway orwaterway, as a canal, for the support of overheadtrack-rails and conductors. These frames, which will be placed at properintervals along the way, will each comprise two uprights, a cross-beam,and brackets 1, pendent from the cross-beam. Only one trackrail Vand oneconductor are shown herein.

The bracket 1 is secured to the cross-beam above, Fig. 2, and to itslower extremity is bolted the track-rail 2. This rail is formed, as hereshown, of a plate bent to a U shape in cross-section, lianged, andmounted with its open side down. Above and directly over the rail 2, ashere shown, is the main live conductor 3. This conductor is gripped byarms 1b, secured to the cross-beam of the frame and insulated therefrom.Fig. 2 shows the preferred construction.

The motor is mounted on the track-rail 2, and comprises a frame 4, inwhich are mounted two shafts 5, on which are fixed two sheaves orgrooved track-Wheels 6 6, which rest on the top or crown of thetrack-rail. Mounted in the frame below the track-rail are two lowerclamping track-wheels '7 7. Each of these wheels has a central flangewhich takes into the hollow of the U-shaped rail, the faces of the wheelat the sides of the flange rolling on the base-anges formed on the rail2. The

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engagement of the Iianges on the two sets of track-wheels with the railprevents any lat eral movement of the motor on the same. The lowertrackwheels 7 are backed by springs, which keep them pressed up to thetrack and serve to cause the two sets of wheels to clamp the railbetween them and thus produce the desired traction. In Figs. 1 and 2Ihave shown rubber spring-blocks 7 a, upheld by a bridge-piece 7c and aset-screw 7b, bearing on the under side of said bridge-piece. By thismeans the desired tension is maintained, while in Figs. 9 and 10 a steelleaf-spring is represented in lieu of a rubber spring.

The electric motor possesses no special novel features.

S 8 are the pole-pieces; 9 9,the field-magnets; 10, the armature; 1l,the commutator, and 12 12X the brushes.

13 is the trolley, mounted on the frame of the carriage. This trolleytakes the current from the main conductor 3. On the arbor 10 of thearmature is secured a gear-wheel14, which gears with two wheels 15 15,fixed on the respective shafts 5 of the upper trackwheels G. As thewheels 15 overlap each other and gear with the wheel lll in differentplanes, the latter wheel is by preference provided with a central iiange11X, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Thus, through these gear wheels, themotor is propelled along the track.

X represents (in Figs. 1 and 3) a boat or any form of vehicle to bedrawn or towed by the motor on the track, and on this boat is a post 16or the like, to which the tow-line 17 is attached. The post may have aloose ring 16X, to which the tow-line is coupled, and this line may be asteel-wire rope. To couple the boat X conveniently and quicklyto themotor, I prefer to provide the tow-line 17 with a suitable snap-coupling17X, such as that shown in Fig. 1b, or with some similar means ofreadily coupling and uncoupling the two sections of the tow-line. InFig. 1 I have shown the towline coupled to the motor through the mediumof a bail 1S, two of which are provided on the field-magnet; but themotor may be furnished with a bail 18 similar to that represented inFigs. 11 and 12. This bail extends down under the motor in such a mannerthat the ring on the tow-line may be slipped along it from end to endand thus enable the motor to tow in either direction without releasingthe line from the bail.

I willv now explain the arrangement of the circuit conductors. On theboat X is a switch Y, to which the circuit-conductors, combined to forma cable 19, Figs. 1, 1, and 1b, are led along the tow-line 17. Thiscable has a coupling 19X, (seen in Fig. 1",) which enables the cable tobe coupled and uncoupled at the same time as the tow-line. This couplingwill be hereinafter described in detail.

The diagrammatic View, Fig. 3, and the detail view, Fig. 3, of theswitch and connections show the arrangement of the circuitconductorsclearly. From the trolley 13 the current flows by a conductor w to theterminal contact w at the switch Y, thence through a contact-plate ofthe switch to a terminal contact thence by a conductor @c to oneterminal of the coil of the field-magnet 9, through the coils of thefield-magnet to the other terminal thereof, thence by a conductor y tothe terminal contact y at the switch, thence through the othercontact-plate of the switch to a terminal contact z, thence by aconductor z to the brush 12 of the motor, thence through the armature lOof the motor to the other brush 12X, and thence to the source or theearth by way of a conductor o and a trolley or brush 20, which has arolling or rubbing Contact with the track-rail 2.

Vhen the switch is set as above described, and as shown in Fig. 3, themotor will move forward on the trackthat is, to the left in Figs. 1 and3. If, however, the switch be shifted until one of its contact-platesconnects the terminals z' and x and the other connects the terminals yand w, the motor will be reversed. If the switch be set in anintermediate position, (see Figs. 1a and 31,) the circuit will be brokenand no current will flow through the motor. The switch may be of anyknown kind and will require only a brief description. As seen in Fig. 3,the wires w Qc y e' connect each with a binding-post at the back of theswitchboard 30, said posts proj ecting through said board to the frontthereof and forming the respective terminal contacts 111/, y, and 5.Mounted to turn on the face of the switchboard concentrically with thecontacts is a lever 31, carrying two contact-plates 32,insulated fromthe lever and having somewhat the form of leaf-springs. lVhen the leverstands as seen in Fig. 3, the ends of the contact-plates will rest onthe board and not on the terminal contacts.

The electric-cable coupling 19 is illustrated more in detail in Figs. 4and 5 and in Fig. 13. This latter is the preferred form and it differsfrom the other only in some slight details of mechanical construction.This coupling comprises two circular cups 21, filled with hard rubber orsimilar non-conducting material 22 and adapted to screw together. Thetwo parts of the cable 19 enter the respective cups and the fourconductor-wires fw, ce, y, and .e of the respective parts of the cableare connected, respectively, with concentrically -arranged metal ringsor ring-segments 23, set in the insulating material in the cup. IVhenthe two cups or coupling members are screwed together, the rings 23 ofone member are brought into electric contact with the correspondingrings of the otherl member and electrical communication is thusestablished in the wires of the cable. The difference of constructionthey do not.

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lating material fills both cups, while in the latter space is providedin one cup (that at the left in Fig. el) to allow the raisedscrewthreaded rim on the other cup to enter. `The cups may havethumb-pieces 24 to facilitate screwing them together. Itis not importantthat the contact-pieces shall be complete rings, but they must beconcentric with those in the other member.

lVhere it is not desirable to carry the superstructure 1 across thecanal or roadway, the construction seen in Figs. G and '7 may beemployed. In this constructionva series of posts 1 are set up along theway and braced from the land side by wire ropes 25. On each post is abracket or arm 26, to which the rail 2 is secured. This arm may beprovided with a suitable diagonal brace 27, extending from the end ofthe arm up to the post above, and two lateral braces 28, extendingobliquely from the heel of the arm to the track-rail, as best seen inFig. 7.

The construction embodied in this application is distinguished by anarrangement of the circuit whereby the live current is led first to theswitch on the boat and then to the motor-coils, and the current, afterpassing through thc field-magnet coils, is led first to the switch onthe boat and then to the commu tator-brush. The conductors forming thecircuit are grouped in a single cable., and a coupling is provided inthis cable between the motor and the boat, as well as in the tow-line.

I have used the word boat herein as a boat in the special form ofconveyance illustrated in the drawings and the form of conveyance bestsuited for towing by my traction-motor; but any form of conveyanceas awheeled vehicle, for eXample-might be towed in the same manner.

I prefer to arrange the live supply-conductor 3 over the track-rail 2,but this is not essential; nor is the exact form of the rail 2 hereshown a necessity, but this form is preferred.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, with atrack-rail, an electrical supply-conductor arranged along saidtrack-rail, an electric traction-inotor on said track-rail, a conveyanceto be towed by said motor, an electric switch 011 said conveyance, and atow-line for connecting said motor and conveyance, of a cable composedof four insulated conductors connecting the motor and the switch on theconveyance, two of said conductors connecting the switch respectively,with the line supplyconductor and one terminal of Vthe iield-magnetcoil, and the other two connecting the switch, respectively,with theother terminal of the fieldmagnet coil and one commutator-brush, and areturn-conductor connecting the other brush with the earth,substantially as set forth.

2. An electric traction-motor comprising as its essentials, clampingtrack-wheels, a fieldmagnet and armature, a commutator and brushes,trolleys 13 and 20, an electric-cable coupling, an electric cablecontaining four conductors-which, at one end, terminate at said couplingand at their other ends terminate, one at the trolley 13, one at acommutator-brush, and two at the respective terminals of the held-magnetcoil, and a conductor leading from the other commutator-brush to thetrolley 20, substantially as set forth.

The combination with an aerial trackrail, a supply-conductor arrangedparallel with the said rail, and an electric tractionmotor mounted onsaid rail and havin gwheels which clamp said rail for traction purposes,said motor-carriage carrying a brush or trolley which takes the currentfrom the supplyconductor, of a conveyance, a tow-line connecting themotor with the conveyance, an electric switch on said conveyance, and anelectric circuit including the conductors w, 0c, y, z, having terminalsw', fc', y' and e', at the switch, the trolley 20, the coils of thefieldmagnet 9, the armature 10, and its commutator, and the brushes 12and 12X, all arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the aerialtrack and main supplyconductor, theelectric, traction-motor on the track, a conveyance provided with anelectric switch, a tow-line 17, and a cable 19, containing conductorsconnecting the motor with the switch, the said cable and tow-line beingconnected or tied together, of the couplings in the respec- IOO tivetow-line and cable, for the purpose set forth. v

5. The combination with an aerial trackrail having in it a groove, and asupply-conductor arranged parallel with said track-rail, of an electrictraction-motor, mounted on said track, for drawing or towing aconveyance, said motor having grooved wheels to embrace the rail on oneside, and flanged wheels to embrace the rail on the other side andengage the groove in the rail, and springs which cause said wheels toclamp the rail, a tow-line connected with the carriage, and means fortaking the current from the supply-conductor and delivering it to thetrack-rail.

6. A coupling for an electric cable containing conductors, comprisingtwo cup -like members 2l, adapted to screw together, face to face,insulating material 22, in said members, rings of metal 23, setconcentrically in the said insulating material, those of one setregistering with those of the other, and the conductors forming theparts of the cable connected with the respective rings 23, substantiallyas set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAS. F. PLACE. Vitnesses:

HENRY CoNNn'rr, Jas. KING DUFFY.

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